Rapid fire artillery gun



Oct. 8, 1940. w.v1NN|cK RAPID FIRE ARTILLERY Gun Filed Nov. so, 1958 s sheets-shea 2 ATTORNEY.

INVENTOR' V/LL/AM V//wv/CK 6H/nad.

t. 8, 1940. A w VINN|K 2,216,969

VRAPID FIRE ARTILLERY GUN Filed Nov. 3o, 1938 s sheets-sheet 3 1N VENTOR.' /I//LL/AM l//A//V/CK 50' BY gwn/WL ATTORNEY.

Patented Oct. 8, 1940 UNITED STATS PATENT OFFICE RAPID FIRE ARTILLERY GUN William Vinnick, Whitestone, N. Y.

Application November 3o, 193s, serial No. 243,144

7 Claims.

My invention relates to improvements in fire arms, and the same has for its object to provide an automatic or semi-automatic rapid fire gun in which the several operations or movements of parts will be positively controlled.

Further, said invention has for its object to provide a gun in which the cartridges will be positively fed to the breech, introduced therein, and red by a hand actuated lever.

Further, said invention has for its object to provide a gun in which one lever-actuated mechanism serves to feed the cartridge into position within the breech of the gun, and another leveractuated mechanism serves to discharge the cartridge.

Further, said invention has for its object to provide a gun in which cam-mechanism operating longitudinally of the piece is actuated by cam mechanism disposed transversely of the piece to load and discharge the same.

Other objects wiil in part be obvious and in part be pointed out hereinafter.

To the attainment of the aforesaid objects and.

ends my invention consists in the novel features of construction, and in combination, connection and arrangement of parts hereinafter more fully described and then pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings- Figure l is a side elevation showing one form of gun constructed according to and embodying my said invention;

Fig. 2 is a top view thereof;

Fig. 3 is a longitudinal section on the line 3--3 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a section on the line 4-4 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 5 is a transverse section on the line 5-.5 of Figure l showing the cartridge loading and ejecting mechanism;

Fig. 6 is a detail plan view of the magazine chute and its associated mechanism;

Fig. 7 is a front view thereof, and

Fig. 8 is a side view of the magazine chute.

In said drawings` I0 designates a cylindrical member to one end of which is secured a barrel I I which communicates at its, inner end with the interior of the cylinder I0 through an opening I2 in one end thereof. The cylinder Ill is adapted to be mounted upon a suitable support or carriage, not shown.

Within the cylinder I0 is disposed a plunger I4 which is slidably supported adjacent one end by a bearing I5 secured in the cylinder I0. The plunger I4 terminates in a square inner end portion I6 having a central longitudinal bore I1 which extends entirely through said square portion I6 and said plunger I4.

I8 denotes a sleeve member which is disposed upon the plunger I4 and secured at its forward end thereto by a screw I9 in order that said sleeve shall be movable longitudinally with said plunger I4. The rear end of the sleeve member I8 is provided with spiral, cam surface 20, which engages and cooperates with a reverse cam surface 2| on ythe right-hand end of an intermediate sleeve member 22 revolubly mounted upon the plunger I4. The sleeve 22 is provided at its left-hand end with a spiral cam surface 23 which is the reverse of the cam surface 2| at the right hand end thereof, and said cam surface 23 is adapted to engage and cooperate with a cooperating cam surface 24 on the right end of a sleeve 25 fixed at its left hand end in the end of the cylinder I0. The sleeve member 25 is disposed upon and fixed with reference to the square shaft portion I6 while the sleeve member 22 is movable longitudinally with reference to the plunger I 4.

The intermediate sleeve member 22 is provided in each of its ends with a spiral groove 22a which conforms to the spiral cam surfaces 2|, 23 thereof. Within said spiral grooves are received the angular ends 22b of the lingers 22c secured to the inner ends of the sleeve members I8, 25, whereby to restore said sleeve members I8, 25 to their retracted positions` upon the plunger and shaft parts I4, I6, aftereach firing operation.

The plunger vIll is provided at its forward end with an extractor I4a comprising hook member or finger I4b having an angular end I4c adapted to engage with the rim of a cartridge to withdraw the same after each firing operation and deposit the same upon the hinged plate 49. The plates 48, 49 each have a portion of their rear edges recessed at 48, i9a in order that said plates may clear the projecting end of the extractor Ida, when said plates are raised to eject an empty shell.`

26 denotes a segmental gear fixedl upon the sleeve member 22.

Within the bore I'I of the plunger I4 and square shaft I 6 is disposed a shaft 2'I whose forward end is provided with a reduced end portion 28 which serves as a ring pin. The shoulder 29 in said shaft 2'I is adapted to engagewith a collar 30 on the forward end of the plunger lI4 to limit the outward or forward movement of the shaft 21 which is held in normally retracted I position by a coil spring 3| disposed within the recessed end and surroundingsaid shaft 21.

'I'he upper side of the cylinder I0, directly over the segmental gear 26, is cut away at 32 to accommodate a transverse sleeve member 33 which is slidably mounted in bearings 34, 348L secured` upon the opposite sides of the longitudinal cylinder I0. The sleeve member 33 is provided upon its underside with a longitudinal rack 35 in engagement with the segmental gear 26 on the sleeve member 22.

Within the sleeve member 33 is disposed a shaft 36 whose forward end is secured to the end 31a of said sleeve member 22, and upon said shaft 36 is slidably disposed a hollow shaft 31 whose outside diameter'corresponds closely to the interior diameter of the sleeve member 33. To the other end of th'e hollow shaft 31 is fixed a sleeve member 38 having a spiral cam surface 39 adapted to engage and cooperate with a conforming cam surface 40 on the innerend of the cam sleeve member 4I. The cam sleeve 4I while l rotatable upon the hollow shaft 31 is held against longitudinal movement by collars 42a, 42n fixed on said cam sleeve 4I to each side of the bearing 34e.

The cam sleeve 4I is provided at its outer end with a cam surface 42 which engages and cooperates with a cam surface 43 on the inner end of a cam sleeve 44 fixed by a pin 44a to the outer end of the shaft 36.

To actuate the cam sleeve 4I the same is provided with an operating lever 45 whereby the same may be rotated.

The forward upper side of the cylinder I0 is provided with a feed opening 46 in which is secured a hinged cover 41 having a handle 41a upon its under side with a curved plate 48, whose inner end is extended upwardly and engages with the under side of hinged plate 49 pivotally secured to the inner side of the cylinder I0. The said plate 49 is normally supported upon the upwardly bent end of the curved plate 48, and is adapted to raise the said plate 49, when the cover 41 is raised, to eject the empty shell and to receive a loaded shell when and as the cover 41 is being opened and closed.

Communicating with the feed opening 46 is a magazine chute 50 secured to the cylinder I0, by which the cartridges 50a are fed one at a time tothe plate 49 from which the sameV are then introducedinto breech 52 by the plunger I4. 'Ihe feed of the cartridges 50a to the plate49 is controlled by an escapement comprising a curved plate 50b whose longitudinal edges extend through transverse slots 50c in the floor of the chute 50. The said curved plate is mounted upon a bar 50d which has its opposite end secured to the lower ends of the arms 50, 50f, pivotally secured at 508 to the sidewalls 50h of the chute. The bar 50d is provided intermediate its ends with a depending operating arm 50m to actuate the curved plate 50 to release the cartridges one at a time as the arm 50m is partially rotated by the engagement of the empty shells in being ejected from the cylinder I0 of the gun. The arm 59- is provided with an extension 50u to the free end of which is attached one end of a spring 50 having its other end secured to a projection 50D on the side walls 50h of the chute. The spring 50 serves to hold the curved plate 50b in its position to retain a cartridge, and to return said plate to its normal position after releasing a cartridge.

Stops 501 are provided on the opposite side walls of the chute 50 to engage with the arms 50 to limit the forward movement thereof after each actuation of the operating arm 50m.

At the rear end of the cylinder is secured a. bracket 53 having depending lugs 54, 55, and on said bracket is pivotally mounted a spring actuated detent or trigger 56 having its lowerl end extending through a slot in the lug 55, and whose upper end 51 is normally maintained in elevated position by a spring 58 having one end secured to the detent 56, and its other end to the lug 54.

To the rear end of the shaft 21 is secured a slide 59 having its free end bifurcated longitudinally to admit the upper end of the detent 56, and at the end of said bifurcation are upwardlyextending posts 6I upon which is disposed a vertically-movable slide 62. The slide 62 has a cam face 63 at its inner side adapted to engage with the upper end of the detent 56, when the shaft 21 is in retracted position, and ready to be released to project the firing pin 28 at its forward end into engagement with the cartridge.

To operate the gun the arm 50m of the magazine chute 50 is actuated to release a cartridge and permit the same to be fed to the plate 48 into position to be rammed into the breech opening 52. Hereupon the lever 45 is actuated and the cam sleeve 4I rotated and in so doing cause the sam surfaces at the opposite ends thereof to engage with the contiguous cam surfaces of the cam sleeves 42 and 40, and thereby cause theA rack 35 on the under side o f the cam sleeve 22 to rotate the gear 26 on the cam sleeve 22 within the cylinder 29, and rotate the cam sleeve 22 thereby causing the cam surfaces 2i and 23 at its opposite ends to coact with the cam surfaces 20 and 24 of the cam sleeves I8 and 25 and move the latter longitudinally in opposite directions upon the shaft parts I6, I1, and cause the cam sleeve I8 which is fixed to the plunger I4 to move to the right and ram the cartridge home in the breech opening 52, and as the movement of the cam sleeves I8, 22 and 25 is continued the shaft 21, in moving outwardly towards the rear, will release the slide 62 and permit the firing pin 28 to be projected against the primer of the cartridge, and fire the same.

To reload the piece after it has been fired, the

partially rotated and the cam sleeves 38 and 22 actuated and the rack 35 moved and cause the same to rotate the gear 26 on the sleeve member 22 and rotate the said sleeve member'22, and in so doing cause the spiral grooves 22 at the ends thereof which engage with the spiral fingers 22 on the cam sleeve members I8 and 25 to move inwardly towards the ends of said intermediate sleeve member 22 and carry the plunger I4, which is fixed to the cam sleeve member I8, rearwardly, and cause the extractor I4 at the forward end thereof to withdraw the empty shell from the breech opening 52, and deposit the same upon the curved plate 49 actuated by the plate 48'attached to the hinged cover 41, to eject the empty shell, and in so doing cause the empty shell to strike the` arm 50m of the feed escapement and move the same rearwardly thereby releasing the foremost loaded shell in the magazine chute 50, and cause the loaded shell to drop into position upon the recessed portion of the plate 49, ready to be rammed into the breech 52 upon the -next projecting of the plunger I4.

As the cam sleeve members I8' and 25 are retracted towards the intermediate cam sleeve be moved rearwardly, and cause the slide 59 carrying the vertically-movable slide 62 to ride over the nose 51 of the spring-actuated detent 56, and hold the slide 59, shaft 21, and the reduced end thereof forming the firing pin 28 to be held to retracted or ready" position to be released upon actuation of the trigger 56.

The above loading and ring operations are thereupon repeated.

Having thus described my said invention what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A rapid re artillery gun comprising a cylindrical casing, a barrel extending from and communicating therewith, a shaft supported longitudinally in said casing, a series of cooperating cam sleeves mounted on said shaft for Vreciprocating the same, a second shaft at right angles to said first-named shaft, a series of cam sleeves mounted on said second shaft, means operatively connecting certain of said second-named cam Sleeves with certain of said first-named cam` sleeves for actuating said first-named cam sleeves to project and retract said first-named shaft, means for feeding loaded shells to said barrel, and means for ejecting the empty shell from said casing. l 2. A rapid fire artillery gun comprising a cylindrical casing, a barrel extending from and communicating therewith, a shaft supported longitudinally in said casing, a series of cooperating cam sleeves mounted on said shaft for reciprocating the same, a second shaft at right angles to said first-named shaft, a series of cam sleeves mounted on said second shaft, means operatively connecting certain of said second-named cam sleeve with certain of said first-named cam sleeves for actuating said first-named cam sleeves to project and retract said first-named shaft, means for feeding loaded shells to said barrel, means for ejecting the empty shell from said casing, means for feeding loaded shells to said casing, said means being actuated by engagement with said empty shells as the latter are ejected from said casing.

3. A rapid re artillery gun comprising a casing, a barrel communicating therewith, a 'shaft in said casing, cam means on said shaft for reciprocating said shaft, a second shaft supported adjacent said first-named shaft, cam means on said shaft, means operatively associated with said last-named cam means for actuating said first named cam means to project said first-named shaft into engagement with a shell in said barrel, means for feeding cartridges to said casing and for ejecting the empty shells therefrom, and a -chute for loaded shells, means associated with said chute for feeding the shells singly to said casing, and a member operated bythe empty shells as the same are ejected from the casing for actuating said feeding mechanism.

4. A rapid fire artillery gun comprising a casing, a barrel communicating therewith, a shaft in said casing, cam means on said shaft for reciprocating said shaft, a second shaft supported adjacent said first-named shaft, cam means on said shaft, means operatively associated with said last-named cam means for actuating said first named cam means to project said first-named shaft into engagement with a shell in said barrel, and means for feeding cartridges to said casing and for ejecting the empty shells therefrom, said means including' a hinged cover for closing an opening in said casing, an operating handle therefor, a hinged member secured within said casing for supporting a loaded cartridge in position thereon to: be rammed by said first-named shaft, and means secured to said cover and engaging said hinged member adjacent its free end for actuating the same to eject theempty shells.

5. A rapid re artillery gun comprising a cylindrical casing, a barrel extending from and communicating therewith, a shaft supported longitudinally in said casing, a series of-sleeve members mounted on said shaft havingcooperating cam surfaces for reciprocating the same, a second shaft'supported at right angles to said firstnamed shaft, a series of sleeve members mounted on said second shaft having cooperating cam surfaces, means operatively connecting certain of said second-named sleeve members with certain of said first-named sleeve members for actuating said first-named sleeve member to project' and retract said first-named shaft, means for feeding loaded shells to said barrel, means for ejecting the empty shell from said casing, and means for feeding loaded shells actuated by the discharge of `said empty shells as the latter issue from said casing.

6. A rapid fire artillery gun comprising a cylindrical casing, a barrel extending from and communicating therewith, a shaft supported longitudinally in said casing, a series of sleeve members mounted on said shaft having cooperating cam surfaces for reciprocating the same, bearing on vsaid casing, a second shaft supported in saidbearings at right angles to said first-named shaft, a series of sleeve members mounted on said second shaft having cooperating cam surfaces, means operatively connecting certain of said second-named sleeve members with certain of said first-named sleeve members for actuating said first-named sleeve member to project and retract said first-named shaft, means for feeding loaded shells to said casing, and means for ejecting the empty shell from said casing, and means for feeding loaded shells actuated by the discharge of said empty shells as the latter issue from said casing.

'7. A rapid fire artillery gun comprising a cylindrical casing, a barrel extending' from one end thereof and communicating therewith, a shaft supported longitudinally in said casing, a series of sleeve members mounted on said shaft having cooperating cam surfaces and a gear on one of said sleeve members for reciprocatingA the same, bearings on said casing, a series of sleeve members mounted on said second shaft having cooperating cam surfaces, a shaft disposed within said last-named sleeve members, a rack on one of said second-named sleeve members in engagement with the gear on one of said firstnamed sleeve members, for actuating said firstnamed cam sleeve members to project and retract said first-named shaft, means for feeding loaded shells to said barrel, and means for ejecting the empty shell from said casing, said ejecting means serving to project empty shells into engagement with said feeding mechanism to feed the loaded shells to said casingf.

WILLIAM VINNICK. 

